Still don't understand the Evans trade

[Mr. Miyagi]

It's been 24 hours and I still cannot understand the reason that Evans was traded. Why did the FO feel the need to get rid of him? He's not expensive, still a very productive player, still young, locker room leader.

WHY??? If I understood a reason maybe at least we could move on. This, I cannot.

[X-Era]

It's been 24 hours and I still cannot understand the reason that Evans was traded. Why did the FO feel the need to get rid of him? He's not expensive, still a very productive player, still young, locker room leader.

WHY??? If I understood a reason maybe at least we could move on. This, I cannot.Two ways I'm fine with it.

1) We turn around and get a starter at another position by trading a pick
2) We end up with more wins than last year

[Philagape]

Will you have daily threads?

[Ebenezer]

Could Lee have asked for the trade?

Did we need yet another thread?

[Mr. Miyagi]

Will you have daily threads?
Well I had one yesterday and one today so far, so yes. Is that okay with you?

[HAMMER]

It's been 24 hours and I still cannot understand the reason that Evans was traded. Why did the FO feel the need to get rid of him? He's not expensive, still a very productive player, still young, locker room leader.

WHY??? If I understood a reason maybe at least we could move on. This, I cannot.

Go see your therapist and let it go drama queen.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Sorry to hear that nobody else cares.

[Mr. Pink]

What's not to understand?

Rebuilding teams aren't built around declining 30 year old one trick ponies.

[tampabay25690]

This is getting old.......

[OpIv37]

This is getting old.......
The utter incompetence of this FO is the only thing getting old

[BertSquirtgum]

you guys are blind homers

[Goobylal]

What's not to understand?

Rebuilding teams aren't built around declining 30 year old one trick ponies.
Come on, he's the last piece of the SB puzzle for the Ravens, haven't you heard? His numbers over his career blow away Derrick Mason's...no wait, strike that.

Evans was a classy guy, but he wasn't even the leading receiver on the Bills the past 2 years. He's never been a #1 WR, despite being paid like one. The Bills got the most they could for him before he was gone.

[kingJofNYC]

Every time he makes a catch for the Ravens there's going to be a new thread.

"EVANS JUST CAUGHT A BALL! **** YOU NIX!!!"

[YardRat]

It's been 24 hours and I still cannot understand the reason that Evans was traded. Why did the FO feel the need to get rid of him? He's not expensive, still a very productive player, still young, locker room leader.

WHY??? If I understood a reason maybe at least we could move on. This, I cannot.

Maybe there is a reason Evans looked to be half-assing it throughout this training camp. No sense going full bore and risking injury if you know you might be dealt, or asked to be dealt.

[Turf]

Obviously Lee is good enough to be the 3rd WR for Baltimore, but the Bills brass feels we're so stacked at WR we don't need him as a 2 or 3. He's not good enough to be a Bill according to the warped delusional inept mindset of this franchise.

[tampabay25690]

The utter incompetence of this FO is the only thing getting old

Listening to fans ***** and moan everyday is old............
If you don't want to be a Bills fan don't root for them plain and simple.......

We traded Lee Evans it isn't the end of the world....

The other day Nix is an idiot for trading Evans and yesterday after Merriman has 3 sacks he is a genius....Go figure....

But then again coming from you OP you are probably the most negative person on the site...

[Historian]

We traded Lee Evans it isn't the end of the world....



No, but it's another dumb move, in a series of dumb moves that have costed this franchise eleven consecutive losing seasons.

At what point do we hang on to our best players and build the nucleus of a team?

We've been down this road before: Donahoe...Williams....Mularkey...Rauch...Stevenson....Collier....the list goes on.

Every one of these egomaniacs thought their guys were better, and stripped the team down to the nuts each time?

Why?

Because all of their egos were out of control.

Christ, if you apologists were in charge back in '72, Simpson would have been traded to the Rams for a third, because he only gained 697, 488 and 742 yards for his first three seasons.

Uh-0oh...Time to dump him...he's a bust!

[Night Train]

I can understand it.

Fitz and Thigpen would be lucky to hit the side of a barn, if it was more than 15 yards away. The long ball will be rare with these 2 under Center.

Evans doesn't do well over the middle in traffic.

See you tomorrow, when you ask again.

[Figster]

Lee Evans probably wanted out of Buffalo and a chance to play for a playoff contender in my opinion. The Bills also appear to be on a three year building process and may feel by the time Buffalo gets to were it wants to be as a football team Evans will be close to retirement. Take that into consideration, the promising young prospects on the Bills roster, plus some of the added weapons the Bills have brought in and the ability of our RB's to contribute in the passing game and the trade makes sense.

Stevie Johnson is Fitzpatricks favorite target and now the undeniable number one WR on offense.

turn the page...

[acehole]

Sorry to hear that nobody else cares.

Lee was one of our only marquee guys so yea.

I felt like that when we didn't keep ted washington and a bunch of other guys..

I like the system we are trying for offense.
It requires physical WR who can block somewhat.
With high percentage passing. Good for running game.
Good for bad weather. Good for average qb. Good for
average OLINE. Good for young players who can not rely
on other marquee players to carry them. Lee did not fit
system. Lee would have been gone for nothing eventually.
If we were closer to contending I would have been more
piss but we are not. It isn't like lee puts us over top. Personnel
moves have become all we can look forward to these days and
development of young players. I for one cant wait to see who steps
up in his place...or how multiple WR's step up in his place. They know
they have a real problem at tackle and this will seriously hurt the new WR's
development. Otherwise I like the move. We have been waiting for a good
core of young player to build a team around and I think we made a great start on Defense and interior of the O. We need one more good offseason on the offense
then time to develop those guys and I think we have got a team that can go far in playoffs. Lee was left from our last attempt and we needed to move on and start over. We are trying total diff O and a different D. Lee did not fit that plan. He was
fun to watch when we had a qb who matched his skill set. We no longer have that
and as I said in December or his heart.

[YardRat]

No, but it's another dumb move, in a series of dumb moves that have costed this franchise eleven consecutive losing seasons.

Whether it's dumb or not remains to be seen.


At what point do we hang on to our best players and build the nucleus of a team?

I can see the nucleus of this team coming into form.

5 of the starting front seven on defense are Nix/Gailey guys. Not to mention the back-ups that could/should contribute (Troup, Carrington, Moats, Batten, etc).

Granted, I'd like to see them do more to improve the offensive line, but part of the nucleus on that side of the ball is already there (Wood, Levitre, maybe Bell)


We've been down this road before: Donahoe...Williams....Mularkey...Rauch...Stevenson....Collier....the list goes on.

You left off Butler, who actually started the 'road to destruction' by putting us in cap hell and then bailing.


Every one of these egomaniacs thought their guys were better, and stripped the team down to the nuts each time?

Why?

Because all of their egos were out of control.

Christ, if you apologists were in charge back in '72, Simpson would have been traded to the Rams for a third, because he only gained 697, 488 and 742 yards for his first three seasons.

Uh-0oh...Time to dump him...he's a bust!

So, I take it you're in favor of keeping Maybin, and pissed off because we cut dead wood like Hardy, Losman, Edwards, etc?

[Mr. Pink]

I love the comparisons of a 30 year WR to a 24 year old RB, btw.

Lee Evans was here 7 seasons and his stats declined and he didn't fit the offense.

Hell, OJ was even traded after 9 seasons, maybe the Bills shoulda kept him a few more years too.

[DMBcrew36]

Listening to fans ***** and moan everyday is old............
If you don't want to be a Bills fan don't root for them plain and simple.......

We traded Lee Evans it isn't the end of the world....

The other day Nix is an idiot for trading Evans and yesterday after Merriman has 3 sacks he is a genius....Go figure....

But then again coming from you OP you are probably the most negative person on the site...

Unreal -- so if we don't like the continual incompetence and mismanagement of the organization, we don't want to be Bills fans? We can be fans and still be fed up.

Sorry if people are too 'negative' for you, but in case you haven't noticed, the Bills haven't made the playoffs in 11 years and are no closer than they were last year, or the year before, or the year before that.

As far as Evans - I have no problem with trading him. He has more value elsewhere. But we might as well have just given him away for nothing, because that's practically what we got.

[Figster]

Unreal -- so if we don't like the continual incompetence and mismanagement of the organization, we don't want to be Bills fans? We can be fans and still be fed up.

Sorry if people are too 'negative' for you, but in case you haven't noticed, the Bills haven't made the playoffs in 11 years and are no closer than they were last year, or the year before, or the year before that.

As far as Evans - I have no problem with trading him. He has more value elsewhere. But we might as well have just given him away for nothing, because that's practically what we got.


Big improvements on the Defense and to say the Bills didn't take a step in the right direction just doesn't ring true in my opinion.

[The Compromise]

Evans is going to have a Pro Bowl season in Baltimore, mark my words.

The problem is the Bills.

T.O. had his worst season since he was #2 as a rookie behind Rice in Buffalo. He posted more yards, catches, and TDs in only 11 games in Cincy the year after and they probably had less talent on O than we had other than their OL.

In Dallas the year before he came here he also doubled his TDs here and had over 1,000 yards also on a struggling offensive unit.

This is classic Bills. They have no vision.

Gailey's going to be a four-letter word at the end of the season and then we'll be in wash/rinse/repeat mode again.

[The Compromise]

I love the comparisons of a 30 year WR to a 24 year old RB, btw.

Lee Evans was here 7 seasons and his stats declined and he didn't fit the offense.

Hell, OJ was even traded after 9 seasons, maybe the Bills shoulda kept him a few more years too.

Perhaps you can enlighten everyone as to who does "fit the Bills offense?"

Last year we heard that Spiller was a glove-fit for it.

[Jan Reimers]

It was addition by subtraction . . . to Ralph's wallet.

[Jan Reimers]

Perhaps you can enlighten everyone as to who does "fit the Bills offense?"

Last year we heard that Spiller was a glove-fit for it.
Evans is fast, runs good routes, has super hands, and is a good teammate and mentor to the young guys.

So of course he doesn't fit.

[Figster]

Evans is fast, runs good routes, has super hands, and is a good teammate and mentor to the young guys.

So of course he doesn't fit.


Evans was somewhat limited on the routes he runs effectively in my opinion:2cents:

[better days]

Evans was somewhat limited on the routes he runs effectively in my opinion:2cents:

Yeah, all he did was run very fast down the field, stretching it so opposing teams could not stack the line & catch the ball when it was thrown to him. What team needs a player like that?

[DMBcrew36]

Big improvements on the Defense and to say the Bills didn't take a step in the right direction just doesn't ring true in my opinion.

We'll see when the season starts.

[Figster]

Yeah, all he did was run very fast down the field, stretching it so opposing teams could not stack the line & catch the ball when it was thrown to him. What team needs a player like that?


Number one WR on a football team needs to be more then a one trick pony

[better days]

Number one WR on a football team needs to be more then a one trick pony

WHY?? As long as he performs that one trick very well. Last night is just a glimpse of what the offense will look like this year unless Easley can take over & stretch the field like Evans did.

[Historian]

I love the comparisons of a 30 year WR to a 24 year old RB, btw.

.

It's the mentality that's being compared, but I guess subtlety is lost on these boards.

What's the definition of insanity again?

[tampabay25690]

Unreal -- so if we don't like the continual incompetence and mismanagement of the organization, we don't want to be Bills fans? We can be fans and still be fed up.

Sorry if people are too 'negative' for you, but in case you haven't noticed, the Bills haven't made the playoffs in 11 years and are no closer than they were last year, or the year before, or the year before that.

As far as Evans - I have no problem with trading him. He has more value elsewhere. But we might as well have just given him away for nothing, because that's practically what we got.

Its all good.
I understand everyones frustration as well but there is nothing as fans we can do about it....
If it makes people feel better then ***** and moan is fine....

[Figster]

WHY?? As long as he performs that one trick very well. Last night is just a glimpse of what the offense will look like this year unless Easley can take over & stretch the field like Evans did.


Until we improve the O-line does it even matter?

[Canadian'eh!]

It's been 24 hours and I still cannot understand the reason that Evans was traded. Why did the FO feel the need to get rid of him? He's not expensive, still a very productive player, still young, locker room leader.

WHY??? If I understood a reason maybe at least we could move on. This, I cannot.

It's quite simple really. He made money and Ralph hates paying people who aren't white DE's playing out of position.

Evans will be the #2 WR in Baltimore.
He WILL gain over 1000 yards playing opposite Boldin.
He WILL have a career year.

And I'm not even that big on Flacco.

This is just another HORRIBLE move by a HORRIBLE organization.

I actively hate the Bills as long as Ralph is alive. If he dies and someone who actually cares keeps the team in Buffalo, I'll give them another chance. Until then. **** them.

[better days]

Until we improve the O-line does it even matter?

Yes, the worse the O-line is the more it matters. When the field is stretched there is less pressure on the O-line than when the defense stacks the line.

[Mr. Pink]

It's the mentality that's being compared, but I guess subtlety is lost on these boards.

What's the definition of insanity again?


Yeah, keeping a declining one trick pony and expecting him to get better when he has no chemistry with the QB and doesn't fit the offense would be that very definition.

[Philagape]

Yeah, all he did was run very fast down the field, stretching it so opposing teams could not stack the line & catch the ball when it was thrown to him. What team needs a player like that?

Defenses have been stacking the line against the Bills for years. Nobody has feared the Bills' passing game since the early Bledsoe games.

[Mr. Pink]

It's quite simple really. He made money and Ralph hates paying people who aren't white DE's playing out of position.

Evans will be the #2 WR in Baltimore.
He WILL gain over 1000 yards playing opposite Boldin.
He WILL have a career year.

And I'm not even that big on Flacco.

This is just another HORRIBLE move by a HORRIBLE organization.

I actively hate the Bills as long as Ralph is alive. If he dies and someone who actually cares keeps the team in Buffalo, I'll give them another chance. Until then. **** them.

Evans will be lucky to eclipse 600 yards in Baltimore. It's a run first offense with a QB who doesn't chuck the football 60 yards downfield consistently. That and Evans will be the 3 by the end of the season when Torrey Smith gets acclimated to the NFL.

[Mr. Pink]

Perhaps you can enlighten everyone as to who does "fit the Bills offense?"

Last year we heard that Spiller was a glove-fit for it.


Possession WRs who go over the middle. Lee doesn't go over the middle, he doesn't get separation at the line, he doesn't get open half the time and we don't have a QB that plays to his only strong suit, chucking 60 yard bombs.


BTW don't count me in the crowd who said Reggie Bush 2.0 was a good idea.

[better days]

Defenses have been stacking the line against the Bills for years. Nobody has feared the Bills' passing game since the early Bledsoe games.

What are you talking about? Last year even though the ball was not thrown to him very often, Evans went downfield & was double teamed 90% of the time.

As I said, unless Easley or another receiver does that this year, you will see 8 in the box all game long.

[better days]

Evans will be lucky to eclipse 600 yards in Baltimore. It's a run first offense with a QB who doesn't chuck the football 60 yards downfield consistently. That and Evans will be the 3 by the end of the season when Torrey Smith gets acclimated to the NFL.

Evans may not eclipse 600 yds in Baltimore, but Bolden & Rice will both have better years than they did last year because Evans will prevent teams form puting 8 in the box & he will draw some of the attention away from Bolden.

That is what some of you people fail to grasp about what Evans brings to the table.

[Philagape]

What are you talking about? Last year even though the ball was not thrown to him very often, Evans went downfield & was double teamed 90% of the time.

As I said, unless Easley or another receiver does that this year, you will see 8 in the box all game long.

You might want to count the players on defense. A unit can double a receiver and still stack the line. Defenses fear QBs way more than one receiver.

[HAMMER]

It's quite simple really. He made money and Ralph hates paying people who aren't white DE's playing out of position.

Evans will be the #2 WR in Baltimore.
He WILL gain over 1000 yards playing opposite Boldin.
He WILL have a career year.

And I'm not even that big on Flacco.

This is just another HORRIBLE move by a HORRIBLE organization.

I actively hate the Bills as long as Ralph is alive. If he dies and someone who actually cares keeps the team in Buffalo, I'll give them another chance. Until then. **** them.

Later! Don't let the door hit you in the arse.

[Extremebillsfan247]

It's been 24 hours and I still cannot understand the reason that Evans was traded. Why did the FO feel the need to get rid of him? He's not expensive, still a very productive player, still young, locker room leader.

WHY??? If I understood a reason maybe at least we could move on. This, I cannot.
There have been some talks about maybe the offensive scheme not being a fit for Lee. Gailey likes his receiving core a lot, and didn't want to really have to cut somebody like Roosevelt or Easley etc. I'm guessing that they figured Lee is getting up there in age, has a couple of seasons still on his contract, but might as well get something for him now, and preserve the rest of the receiving core which is relatively young. Lee was a fantastic deep threat. But I'm thinking Gailey saw him as a one trick pony.

This decision though isn't without its share of risks and drawbacks. Our receiving core is very raw. The only real threat there now is Stevie Johnson. Teams are going to dare the Bills to throw it deep while stacking the box. This will make it tougher to run the ball. Even Fitzpatrick has acknowledged that. The Bills are gambling here, and whether it pays off or not, wont be known for awhile. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. But early indications are that it's going to be a rough start without him. JMO

[YardRat]

What are you talking about? Last year even though the ball was not thrown to him very often, Evans went downfield & was double teamed 90% of the time.

As I said, unless Easley or another receiver does that this year, you will see 8 in the box all game long.

We've seen that for most of Evans' career here.

[better days]

You might want to count the players on defense. A unit can double a receiver and still stack the line. Defenses fear QBs way more than one receiver.

You make a good point about the QB. If Trent were still QB, it would not matter that Evans stretched the field because defenses knew Trent would never throw the ball more than 7-8 yds.

Fitz on the other hand may be erratic as hell, but defenses have to respect that he will throw the ball down field. They therefore won't stack the line with Fitz at QB if he has a receiver to stretch the field because if they do they are much more apt to give up a BIG play.

[Philagape]

You're not doing the math like I told you to.

When a speed receiver is doubled far down the field, who's the second defender likely to be? A safety. Which leaves another safety to still do whatever, including stay in the box, resulting in up to how many guys there? Eight. Very easy solution. One-dimensional players are not feared because they're easy to defend.
On the other hand, a receiver who's also good at the intermediates over the middle will draw LBs back into the zone. That helps the running game more than track stars who draw the free safety, who plays way off the line anyway.

[Historian]

Expect to see a lot of scores like the other night.

Lots of 3s and 6s, lol.

[BoyILuvLoznStupidly]

Good article, a few days old

Final Thoughts On The Bills' Trade Of Lee Evans

http://cdn1.sbnation.com/profile_images/467823/IMG_20110806_213313_tiny.jpg by Brian Galliford (http://www.sbnation.com/users/Brian%20Galliford) on Aug 13, 2011 8:30 AM EDT (http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2011/8/13/2360547/lee-evans-trade-buffalo-bills-baltimore-ravens) in Buffalo Bills Opinion (http://www.buffalorumblings.com/section/opinion)

I was away from my computer for the vast majority of Friday (which probably worked in my favor from a big-picture mental health standpoint.) As such, I didn't get to opine on the Buffalo Bills (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/buffalo-bills)' trade of receiver Lee Evans (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/1866/lee-evans) to the Baltimore Ravens (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/baltimore-ravens) as much as I could have.
After reflecting on things a bit, I need to get my final thoughts down on paper (or on the Internet, as it were) before moving onto the team's first pre-season game of the season.

No, I'm not particularly enthused about the fourth-round pick that the Bills got from Baltimore for Evans. I get the idea of getting what you can for a player that you've been thinking about dumping anyway, and from that standpoint, I suppose a fourth-round pick could seem like gold. But the odds of that fourth-round pick - whoever he is next year - being a franchise cornerstone are small. That's without mentioning the short-term ramifications, which we'll get into after the jump.http://cdn0.sbnation.com/images/blog/star-divide.v777cf8a.jpg

I remain concerned with the idea of putting the onus of the passing game on Stevie Johnson (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/34862/steve-johnson). (Well, yes, the onus of the passing game is on Ryan Fitzpatrick (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/3219/ryan-fitzpatrick), which isn't new, but passing is a two-way street, and Johnson's the guy now.) Specifically, I'm concerned that Johnson will be as effective as he was last season; it's a lot to ask of a guy with only one good year under his belt to suddenly get Larry Fitzgerald-level attention from opposing defenses. That's exactly what Stevie will get, too, until one of Buffalo's younger receivers steps up and starts producing statistically.
I don't buy into the idea that trading Evans means that the team is giving up on the season. NFL teams prepare to win, and the Bills haven't done a lot of winning with Evans. The team was facing an uphill battle as it was, and I don't think much has changed. The team's biggest problems still have nothing to do with the receiver positionread more http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2011/8/13/2360547/lee-evans-trade-buffalo-bills-baltimore-ravens

[better days]

You're not doing the math like I told you to.

When a speed receiver is doubled far down the field, who's the second defender likely to be? A safety. Which leaves another safety to still do whatever, including stay in the box, resulting in up to how many guys there? Eight. Very easy solution. One-dimensional players are not feared because they're easy to defend.
On the other hand, a receiver who's also good at the intermediates over the middle will draw LBs back into the zone. That helps the running game more than track stars who draw the free safety, who plays way off the line anyway.

Well there is more than one receiver on the field at a time do the math.

[Philagape]

Well there is more than one receiver on the field at a time do the math.

In the box, one more receiver is one less blocker.

[trapezeus]

Every time he makes a catch for the Ravens there's going to be a new thread.

"EVANS JUST CAUGHT A BALL! **** YOU NIX!!!"

So between 30-35 threads this season? I can live with that.

At the end of the day, the team had 1 winning season with him. and he wasn't even that prolific. The guy might blow up in baltimore since they have a possession guy and a TE, but it wasn't going ot happen for buffalo.

I have watched a lot of dumb moves by the bills over the 30 or so years i've watched them. this didn't strike me as incredibly stupid. they didni't get a lot of value for him, but they weren't one lee evans away from greatness.

[better days]

In the box, one more receiver is one less blocker.

NO offense is only going to have only one WR run a route. The point is if no WR runs long, it shortens the field the defense has to cover which allows 8 in the box.

[Philagape]

NO offense is only going to have only one WR run a route. The point is if no WR runs long, it shortens the field the defense has to cover which allows 8 in the box.

Is the other WR doubled too? If not, that still leaves 8

[psubills62]

I don't understand why some people complain about Evans being traded because he was going to draw double teams, then turn around and whine that now Steve Johnson will see double teams and won't do as well.

[imbondz]

He's been here 7 years w one winning season. Let him be free, he's earned it. I hate it, but hope he is successful in Bmore. Evans deserves to be on a winning team.

[better days]

Is the other WR doubled too? If not, that still leaves 8

The other WR does not have to be doubled. If the field is stretched, the defense will leave a safety further back to lessen the chance of a big play.

[Philagape]

The other WR does not have to be doubled. If the field is stretched, the defense will leave a safety further back to lessen the chance of a big play.

But it just hasn't worked out that way, not enough to make a difference in the running game.
You want both safeties backed off consistently, you need the whole offense to be dangerous. The last time Buffalo had that was 2002, with Bledsoe throwing to Moulds and Price. Evans could play the Peerless Price role in that kind of an offense, but it ain't gonna happen here anytime in the forseeable future. Like Price, Evans overachieved here for one big year, and being the one-dimensional player he is, defenses caught on pretty easily. He needs a certain limited situation to produce, and he can't change a game by himself. Baltimore is a better situation for him, where he'll get plenty of help, but that's irrelevant as to his worth to the Bills. He didn't fit here, and he's not good enough to warrant changing your offense for him.

[better days]

But it just hasn't worked out that way, not enough to make a difference in the running game.
You want both safeties backed off consistently, you need the whole offense to be dangerous. The last time Buffalo had that was 2002, with Bledsoe throwing to Moulds and Price. Evans could play the Peerless Price role in that kind of an offense, but it ain't gonna happen here anytime in the forseeable future. Like Price, Evans overachieved here for one big year, and being the one-dimensional player he is, defenses caught on pretty easily. He needs a certain limited situation to produce, and he can't change a game by himself. Baltimore is a better situation for him, where he'll get plenty of help, but that's irrelevant as to his worth to the Bills. He didn't fit here, and he's not good enough to warrant changing your offense for him.

I think he could have made a difference in Buffalo this year with Stevie on the other side. Now there is nobody of substance opposite Stevie unless somebody surprises.

The point is the Ravens REALLY NEEDED a receiver like Evans & I think Nix is just not good enough at making trades to get as much as he could or should have.

[Philagape]

I think he could have made a difference in Buffalo this year with Stevie on the other side. Now there is nobody of substance opposite Stevie unless somebody surprises.

The point is the Ravens REALLY NEEDED a receiver like Evans & I think Nix is just not good enough at making trades to get as much as he could or should have.

I was disappointed with the return as well.

[better days]

I was disappointed with the return as well.

That is all I am saying. I'm not mad so much that Nix traded Evans, I'm mad that he traded him for too little & any Bills fan that does not think that way is content with losing IMO.

Good teams do not give players away. The Eagles got great value for a QB that may be the next Rob Johnson. Denver was offered a 4th for Orton who is in his last year of his contract by Miami, but refused to make the trade. If Miami ups its offer that trade may still happen if not Denver can either resign Orton or tag him & most likely get a 4th next year. So what is the difference if they get the 4th today or just before the draft is held?

[Figster]

That is all I am saying. I'm not mad so much that Nix traded Evans, I'm mad that he traded him for too little & any Bills fan that does not think that way is content with losing IMO.

Good teams do not give players away. The Eagles got great value for a QB that may be the next Rob Johnson. Denver was offered a 4th for Orton who is in his last year of his contract by Miami, but refused to make the trade. If Miami ups its offer that trade may still happen if not Denver can either resign Orton or tag him & most likely get a 4th next year. So what is the difference if they get the 4th today or just before the draft is held?


If Evans requested to go to a playoff contender and the FO tried to honor that request then it limited the avenues we could use to trade him in my opinion.

How has Lee Evans shown over the last couple of seasons he's worth more?

[better days]

If Evans requested to go to a playoff contender and the FO tried to honor that request then it limited the avenues we could use to trade him in my opinion.

How has Lee Evans shown over the last couple of seasons he's worth more?

Even if Evans requested the trade, the Bills should have squeezed more out of the Ravens. If a 4th is the best they could get I would say "Sorry Lee but no playoff team thinks you are worth anything." "Play here this year & improve your numbers & we will trade you before the next draft."

[Figster]

Even if Evans requested the trade, the Bills should have squeezed more out of the Ravens. If a 4th is the best they could get I would say "Sorry Lee but no playoff team thinks you are worth anything." "Play here this year & improve your numbers & we will trade you before the next draft."


Lee Evans was just out played by a washed up TO and then a complete unknown (Stevie Johnson) so knowing that, what makes you think the Ravens or anyone else would offer more?

[mysticsoto]

If Evans requested to go to a playoff contender and the FO tried to honor that request then it limited the avenues we could use to trade him in my opinion.

How has Lee Evans shown over the last couple of seasons he's worth more?

There is no evidence Lee ever requested anything. In fact, 1-2 days before he was traded, I listened to an interview with him on WGR where they were asking all kinds of questions like how did he find out about being shopped around and he said the same way everybody else did - by reading blogs on the internet. They asked him if he was excited to possibly go to a playoff contending team and he said he wasn't thinking about that and refused to think along those lines. He said he was focused on TC and on making sure his routes were good and doing what he needed to do to prepare himself for a new season - nothing else was going to distract him from preparing himself as he needed to.

Lee has been 1st class all the way since he got here. In my opinion, there is absolutely no justification to trade him for a 4th round pick. NONE WHATSOEVER!!!

[better days]

Lee Evans was just out played by a washed up TO and then a complete unknown (Stevie Johnson) so knowing that, what makes you think the Ravens or anyone else would offer more?

Yeah, well TO also outplayed OCHO CRAPO last year. TO is a HOF player & Stevie is a rising star. I know for a fact the Ravens NEEDED a WR to stretch the field that is why I think that.

[Figster]

Yeah, well TO also outplayed OCHO CRAPO last year. TO is a HOF player & Stevie is a rising star. I know for a fact the Ravens NEEDED a WR to stretch the field that is why I think that.


I don't mean to down play Johnson's accomplishments, but its a what have you done for me lately world we live in and Lee Evans simply hasn't done much lately.

[Figster]

There is no evidence Lee ever requested anything. In fact, 1-2 days before he was traded, I listened to an interview with him on WGR where they were asking all kinds of questions like how did he find out about being shopped around and he said the same way everybody else did - by reading blogs on the internet. They asked him if he was excited to possibly go to a playoff contending team and he said he wasn't thinking about that and refused to think along those lines. He said he was focused on TC and on making sure his routes were good and doing what he needed to do to prepare himself for a new season - nothing else was going to distract him from preparing himself as he needed to.

Lee has been 1st class all the way since he got here. In my opinion, there is absolutely no justification to trade him for a 4th round pick. NONE WHATSOEVER!!!

Lee Evans is a Class act and for the record I was against trading him, but on the other hand I just don't see us getting more out of him because of his production (or lack there of I should say)

[mysticsoto]

Lee Evans is a Class act and for the record I was against trading him, but on the other hand I just don't see us getting more out of him because of his production (or lack there of I should say)

Then the logical step would have been for him to remain on the team. It is possible that as injuries occur during the season, if they were that intent on trading him, that his value would have increased to a team with injuries that needed an immediate veteran replacement quickly. A 3rd should have been the minimum. A 4th rd pick might as well be nothing!

[Figster]

Then the logical step would have been for him to remain on the team. It is possible that as injuries occur during the season, if they were that intent on trading him, that his value would have increased to a team with injuries that needed an immediate veteran replacement quickly. A 3rd should have been the minimum. A 4th rd pick might as well be nothing!

You say the guys a class act, well, as the Bills GM what would you tell evans then If he came to you and said I'm not happy here, I'm nearing the end of my career and would like to play for a playoff contender.(I realize up to this point there is no actual proof this happened)

The player that will one day replace Evans (in my opinion) as the Bills#1 WR is a 4th round pick, Marcus Easley

[mysticsoto]

You say the guys a class act, well, as the Bills GM what would you tell evans then If he came to you and said I'm not happy here, I'm nearing the end of my career and would like to play for a playoff contender.

The player that will one day replace Evans (in my opinion) as the Bills#1 WR is a 4th round pick, Marcus Easley

If he had said that, it's a different story - but there is no indication that he did - so I'm not going to assume he did until there is evidence.

As to Easley, I like him too...but until he shows he can stay healthy throughout a season, I can't anoint him anybody's replacement...and quite frankly, in this past preseason game...he did nothing.

[Figster]

If he had said that, it's a different story - but there is no indication that he did - so I'm not going to assume he did until there is evidence.

As to Easley, I like him too...but until he shows he can stay healthy throughout a season, I can't anoint him anybody's replacement...and quite frankly, in this past preseason game...he did nothing.


hehe, Easley actually cost the Bills some yardage on the last preseason game, but what is he doing returning kicks anyway. Easley played special teams in college ( 07), but not returning kicks as far as I know.

[better days]

Lee Evans is a Class act and for the record I was against trading him, but on the other hand I just don't see us getting more out of him because of his production (or lack there of I should say)

Well, as I said before, if this team continues to give away talented players for nothing, they will never improve. If Nix were GM during the Peters trade with Philly, he would have been happy with a 4th for Peters.